Yale Takes Advantage of Breaks

At the start, The Game took on the air of a staged affair, as ABC-TV directors wandered all over the Stadium seemingly ready to cue in the players on where to run, when to fumble, and--unfortunately--how to intercept passes. But the game produced several interesting surprises, and even the score was not the 55 to 0 mentioned in Yale's pre-game script.

Before he went on, Game of the Week announcer Curt Gowdy expressed his hope to anyone in the press box who would listen that the game would be at least close. If it's any consolation, the TV boys conceded afterwards that the production had its merits and surpassed the Crimson's last attempt to play in a TV studio.

Before the coin toss, co-announcer Bob Neal, galavanting over the gridiron in a baggy reccoon coat, introduced the starting line-ups on a hook-up that included the 40,000 at Soldiers Field. He belted each player on the shoulder and yelled "Good luck, boy," as each starter in turn smirked at the red light.

No Commercial Appeal

When, during halftime, Neal tried to interview John Yovicsin on the sidelines, both were run down by the Harvard Band and swept out of the picture. Minutes later, Neal attempted a smily commercial and was greeted by loud boos, hisses, and names of competing brands from students in the home stands.

The little man with the long pole pacing the sidelines was not, us one old grad thought, sending plays in to Ravenel, but picking up signals from referee Robert Van Lengen's microphone. The official was wired for sound so that the living room fans could head Yale captain Mike Pyle's reaction to Eli's several penalties.

The Crimson, incidentally, was penalized only once, but its 15-yarder when behind 6 to 0 was more costly to the varsity than Yale's total of 60 yards was to the winners.

After the game, Neal, still chasing around the field, cornered a dejected Charlie Ravenel and a jubilant Tom Singleton to hear Neal tell what great competitors they were. The game but limp Crimson quarterback, with tears in his eyes, shook hands with Singleton, the Yale whom he had bettered as a freshman, sophomore, and junior. Only in his last appearance when running far below full speed because of a knee injury did Ravenel lose to his Yale counterpart. Although lame, Ravenel still stole the show from Singleton, who has played well in each of the four rivalries.

Ravenel's Last Effort

Yovicsin said in the post-game press conference--as the strains of "Bulldog, Bulldog, Bow, Wow, Wow" came down from the visiting team's showers--said that he hoped Ravenel's triumphant touchdown was some sort of reward for his Harvard career. "Not nearly as great as winning, of course," the poised and calm Yovicsin said of "the greatest player I have ever coached."

Yale's Jordan Olivar mentioned that some alumni may get excited because their team cannot accept a bowl bid because of the Ivy agreement. Yovicsin quipped, "Some Harvard alumni will be pretty excited after this game, too."

Among the 40,000 in the Stadium: Chester Bowles (Yale '24), Leverett Saltonstall '14, Neil McElroy '25, Barry Wood '32, and 'Thomas D. Bolles, just returned from a leave of absence to the Olympics. Conspicuous (somewhat) by his absenct: John F. Kennedy '40.

And after the game, of course, Harvard students drowned their sorrows and Yalies celebrated. In either case, the effect was the same.